Selection process
The Welsh public are invited to nominate candidates, from which a shortlist of three finalists in each category is selected by a specially commissioned advisory committee. The award winners are decided by the First Minister. [4]
| Saint David Awards/Gwobrau Dewi Sant | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Exceptional achievements |
| Country | Wales |
| Presented by | Welsh Government |
| First awarded | 13 March 2014 |
| Website | stdavidawards.org.uk |
The Saint David Awards (Welsh: Gwobrau Dewi Sant) are an annual government awards scheme which recognizes exceptional achievements by Welsh citizens within Wales, the UK and globally. They are the highest accolades that the Welsh Government confers on its civilians. [1]
Previous winners include Cerys Matthews, Michael Sheen, Tanni Grey-Thompson, and Bryn Terfel. [2]
The Awards aim to "reflect and promote the aspirations of Wales and its citizens to be a modern, vibrant country, with a growing reputation as a confident and clever nation valuing innovation, community spirit, and above all its people". [3]
Currently, there are nine award categories:
The Welsh public are invited to nominate candidates, from which a shortlist of three finalists in each category is selected by a specially commissioned advisory committee. The award winners are decided by the First Minister. [4]
The Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales are areas of countryside that have been designated for statutory protection due to their significant landscape value in Wales. There are currently five areas designated, four wholly in Wales and another spanning the Wales-England border, accounting for 4% of Wales' land area. The responsibility of designating areas in recognition of their national importance is devolved to Wales and performed by Natural Resources Wales, on behalf of the Welsh Government. The designation is also used in England, and Northern Ireland. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty enjoy levels of protection from development similar to those of Welsh national parks, but unlike national parks, the responsible AONB bodies do not have their own planning powers, instead are performed by local authorities. They also differ from national parks in their more limited opportunities for extensive outdoor recreation. It has been proposed that the designation be renamed to National Landscapes of Wales, however, such proposals have failed to be followed through.
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Welsh law is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd. Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales, one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. However, due to devolution, the law in Wales is increasingly distinct from the law in England, since the Senedd, the devolved parliament of Wales, can legislate on non-reserved matters.
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